LonestaRG-21 Programs
We are confirming speakers and getting summary information. This page will be updated frequently.
Gun Violence and Gun Policy
with Matt Valentine Matt Valentine teaches writing at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a Fellow of the Trice Lecturer in the Plan II Honors Program. His terminal degree is a Master of Fine Arts from New York University. As a journalist, he has recently published several analytical features (including cover stories) on gun violence and gun policy for Politico Magazine, as well as The Atlantic, The Trace and the Washington Post. He has appeared on MSNBC, CBS Radio, NPR and other media outlets as an expert commentator on gun violence and gun policy. With his colleague Patricia Smith, Matt is co-editing a volume on campus carry that will be published in 2020 by Harvard Education Press. Digital Privacy
with EFF-Austin EFF-Austin is an independent nonprofit civil liberties organization concerned with emerging frontiers where technology meets society. We are a group of visionary technologists, legal professionals, academics, political activists and concerned citizens who work to protect digital rights and educate the public about emerging technologies and their implications. Similar to our namesake, the national Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), “the dominion we defend is the vast wealth of digital information, innovation, and technology that resides online.” 
Civic Engagement and Voter Registration Laws
with Bruce Elfant Bruce grew up in Houston and moved to Austin in 1976 to attend the University of Texas. He graduated with a BS in Business Communications in 1980 and earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice in1995 from Austin Community College. In 1983 Bruce joined the planning team at the Texas Attorney General’s office where he worked on nursing home reform and environmental and healthcare issues. He was hired in 1987 by Constable Precinct Five to serve as director for the newly created Family Law Section and served in that capacity until 1992 when he was elected Constable. As Constable, Bruce established the first county disabled parking enforcement program and the nation’s first online service check which has greatly benefited litigants and victims of domestic violence. He led efforts to establish Travis County’s “Veterans Court,” which allows military veterans, many suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries to receive treatment instead of jail time. He also worked with the courts and local school districts to develop a truancy reduction program which blended a criminal justice approach with a social work model. This truancy program was so successful that President Clinton invited Bruce to speak at a White House symposium on Criminal Justice. As Tax Assessor-Collector, Bruce is working to save tax dollars by encouraging residents to pay property taxes and vehicle registrations online. He piloted the first E-Title program in Texas and as voter registrar he has trained and deputized thousands of volunteer deputy registrars. During his tenure, online payments increased twelve-fold, property tax collections are among the highest in Texas and Travis County is the most registered urban county in Texas. Elfant is a staunch advocate for a fairer property tax system and allowing Texans to be able to join with the 40 other states that allow their citizens to register to vote online. Bruce has served on many committees and boards, including chair of the Austin State Hospital Public Responsibility Committee, Co-chair for the Austin/Travis County Family Violence Task Force and Community Action Network, Community Council, U. S. Census Complete Count Committee (2010 and 2020), Travis County Veterans Intervention Program and Tax Assessor-Collectors Legislative Committee. Bruce also served as a board member and vice president for the Texas Association of Counties. Bruce has won numerous awards for his civic and community service including Person of the Year, and Texas Constable and Tax Assessor-Collector of the Year. |
Woman's Storybook Project of Texas
With Jill Gonzalez M. Ed.
Jill Gonzalez is the Executive Director of Women's Storybook Project of Texas. She is completing her first year at WSP and prior to it was the associate director at BookSpring in Austin, TX. A lifelong advocate for family and early literacy, Jill began her career as a classroom teacher and then became a Reading Specialist. She earned her Master Reading Teacher certification at U.T. Austin. In 2008 she made the transition to nonprofit leadership and enjoys providing programming and advocating for family literacy from the earliest possible point. She believes that all parents make a difference in their child's personal growth and academic lives by reading aloud to them.
Storybook Project of Texas builds relationships between mothers behind bars and their children on the outside. Volunteers record the mothers reading books to their children. The others also include a short message. The children receive a copy of the recording and a new book each month. Since 2003, WSP has added prisons and mothers to its program. In 2018, nine prisons and over 2,500 women are participating.
With Jill Gonzalez M. Ed.
Jill Gonzalez is the Executive Director of Women's Storybook Project of Texas. She is completing her first year at WSP and prior to it was the associate director at BookSpring in Austin, TX. A lifelong advocate for family and early literacy, Jill began her career as a classroom teacher and then became a Reading Specialist. She earned her Master Reading Teacher certification at U.T. Austin. In 2008 she made the transition to nonprofit leadership and enjoys providing programming and advocating for family literacy from the earliest possible point. She believes that all parents make a difference in their child's personal growth and academic lives by reading aloud to them.
Storybook Project of Texas builds relationships between mothers behind bars and their children on the outside. Volunteers record the mothers reading books to their children. The others also include a short message. The children receive a copy of the recording and a new book each month. Since 2003, WSP has added prisons and mothers to its program. In 2018, nine prisons and over 2,500 women are participating.
Youth Program Track
With Amber Gabriel
On Saturday August 31st LonestaRG will have youth programs from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Check the registration page for details on youth registration. There is no membership requirement for LonestaRG.
There will be a breakout box, STEM activities, robot building and slime!
With Amber Gabriel
On Saturday August 31st LonestaRG will have youth programs from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Check the registration page for details on youth registration. There is no membership requirement for LonestaRG.
There will be a breakout box, STEM activities, robot building and slime!
An Archaeology of Atlantis: Plato’s Dialogues, Minoan Culture, and New Analytical Approaches
with Chris Kilgore
In Plato’s dialogues, Atlantis is described as a circular island comprised of concentric zones of earth and water. Home to an advanced trading culture, Atlantis supposedly exploded and sank into the ocean in a single day. Many modern archaeologists interpret Plato’s tale as an oral tradition describing Minoan culture, a Mediterranean civilization which suffered a catastrophic volcanic explosion around 1,600 BC. Chris Kilgore will review the Platonic dialogues and detail recent archaeological insights into Minoan culture. Chris will also share new literary and iconographic parallels between ancient sources and modern cultures. Together, these suggest that cultural vestiges of “Atlantis” have survived to this day through transmission via the Minoan diaspora.
Chris Kilgore, Mr. Mensa 2018, is a cognitive archaeologist, art historian, and raconteur based in Houston. He has spoken at numerous RGs and AGs and has presented his original research at museums and universities in the United States, France, Britain, Spain, and Belgium. He is a featured lecturer in the École Doctorale of France's Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, the world's oldest natural history museum. Chris received his MA in Art History from the University of Houston, where he was Art History Writing Fellow.
with Chris Kilgore
In Plato’s dialogues, Atlantis is described as a circular island comprised of concentric zones of earth and water. Home to an advanced trading culture, Atlantis supposedly exploded and sank into the ocean in a single day. Many modern archaeologists interpret Plato’s tale as an oral tradition describing Minoan culture, a Mediterranean civilization which suffered a catastrophic volcanic explosion around 1,600 BC. Chris Kilgore will review the Platonic dialogues and detail recent archaeological insights into Minoan culture. Chris will also share new literary and iconographic parallels between ancient sources and modern cultures. Together, these suggest that cultural vestiges of “Atlantis” have survived to this day through transmission via the Minoan diaspora.
Chris Kilgore, Mr. Mensa 2018, is a cognitive archaeologist, art historian, and raconteur based in Houston. He has spoken at numerous RGs and AGs and has presented his original research at museums and universities in the United States, France, Britain, Spain, and Belgium. He is a featured lecturer in the École Doctorale of France's Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, the world's oldest natural history museum. Chris received his MA in Art History from the University of Houston, where he was Art History Writing Fellow.
Saturday night is Casino Night! Join us in the Viva Las Vegas Casino! After dinner in the ballroom, we will break out the games: Tables for Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, Roulette, and Craps. We will have additional tables for other games and puzzles, along with music,
a dance floor, and cheesy decor. Feel free to wear your best vintage Vegas casino outfit or just come as you are.
LonestaRG is offering special Casino Night only tickets for $35 per person, half-price for children 9-20, and kids 8 and under are free. Admission is from 6pm until midnight, Saturday, August 31st.
a dance floor, and cheesy decor. Feel free to wear your best vintage Vegas casino outfit or just come as you are.
LonestaRG is offering special Casino Night only tickets for $35 per person, half-price for children 9-20, and kids 8 and under are free. Admission is from 6pm until midnight, Saturday, August 31st.
CosPlay
with Sal Silinonte AKA caveman c0splay
Sal will tell us about costume making, attending cons, volunteer opportunities for cosplayers and how to enjoy a hobby you can share with your family.
with Sal Silinonte AKA caveman c0splay
Sal will tell us about costume making, attending cons, volunteer opportunities for cosplayers and how to enjoy a hobby you can share with your family.
Mensa Admission Test Session
The Mensa Admission Test and the Culture Fair Test will be offered at this testing session. All test takers will be invited to attend for the day as guests of Lone Star Mensa.
Pre-register for the test by email: testing@lsm.us.mensa.org Walk-ins are welcome.
Bring a valid photo ID and your method of payment the testing fee is $60. We accept credit cards, cash, checks, and prepaid vouchers (available for purchase at American Mensa's website). Valid forms of ID include Driver's Licenses, Student IDs, state IDs, and Passports.
The Mensa Admission Test and the Culture Fair Test will be offered at this testing session. All test takers will be invited to attend for the day as guests of Lone Star Mensa.
Pre-register for the test by email: testing@lsm.us.mensa.org Walk-ins are welcome.
Bring a valid photo ID and your method of payment the testing fee is $60. We accept credit cards, cash, checks, and prepaid vouchers (available for purchase at American Mensa's website). Valid forms of ID include Driver's Licenses, Student IDs, state IDs, and Passports.
Scholarship Benefit Bag Raffle and Silent Auction
We will be having a bag raffle and silent auction to benefit the scholarship fund. Everyone will start out with a ticket; you can get more for volunteering and as prizes, and you can also buy more (which is where you're helping the scholarship fund). Drop your tickets into the bag for the prize you are hoping to win. A few choice items will be put up for silent auction.
We will be having a bag raffle and silent auction to benefit the scholarship fund. Everyone will start out with a ticket; you can get more for volunteering and as prizes, and you can also buy more (which is where you're helping the scholarship fund). Drop your tickets into the bag for the prize you are hoping to win. A few choice items will be put up for silent auction.
Scholarship Benefit Wine Tastings
with Doug Williams
We are planning three tasting sessions, reds, whites, and wines that pair with Italian food. Each will feature 6-8 varieties of wine or so. Wine crackers, pretzel sticks, and bottled water will be provided. Depending upon how many wines you plan to sample, a donation of $15-20 to the scholarship fund would be appreciated.
with Doug Williams
We are planning three tasting sessions, reds, whites, and wines that pair with Italian food. Each will feature 6-8 varieties of wine or so. Wine crackers, pretzel sticks, and bottled water will be provided. Depending upon how many wines you plan to sample, a donation of $15-20 to the scholarship fund would be appreciated.
Carnelli!
A Mensan made parlor game of titles. HERE is a PDF of Carnelli Rules for newbies! (Print your own or we will guide you along!)
A Mensan made parlor game of titles. HERE is a PDF of Carnelli Rules for newbies! (Print your own or we will guide you along!)
Battledecks!
You played it here first - and we are playing it again. A new favorite! Battledecks aka PowerPoint Karaoke is a game where players make a short speech using powerpoint slides which they have never seen before. It can be hilarious to do and hilarious to watch. We'll prepare some slide decks and speech topics beforehand but you won't know what they are until you begin!
You played it here first - and we are playing it again. A new favorite! Battledecks aka PowerPoint Karaoke is a game where players make a short speech using powerpoint slides which they have never seen before. It can be hilarious to do and hilarious to watch. We'll prepare some slide decks and speech topics beforehand but you won't know what they are until you begin!
Name That Movie
with John and Geri Neemidge
A LonestaRG favorite, Name That Movie consists of clips (about a minute each) from around 40 movies. Clips are selected to fit into one or more themes. You name the movies and the themes. You can participate individually or in teams. Clips are PG or less regardless of the original movie, and we try to make the clips themselves interesting, so you can enjoy it even if you don't know movies well enough to do well on the game.
with John and Geri Neemidge
A LonestaRG favorite, Name That Movie consists of clips (about a minute each) from around 40 movies. Clips are selected to fit into one or more themes. You name the movies and the themes. You can participate individually or in teams. Clips are PG or less regardless of the original movie, and we try to make the clips themselves interesting, so you can enjoy it even if you don't know movies well enough to do well on the game.
Games, Games, Games!
We have several Mind Games winners and perennial favorites which will be available all weekend for your gaming pleasure.
We have several Mind Games winners and perennial favorites which will be available all weekend for your gaming pleasure.